Thank you so, so, so, so, SO much for Space Engine, SpaceEngineer. This is by far THE best planetarium software in the whole world. Absolutely nothing can compare. There are still a few minor realism problems and some bugs, but I can forgive those (as long as you eventually fix them) because this is, after all, still in beta.

SpaceEngine is far the best space sim out there! hands down. I discovered it just like the other great space programs Stellarium and Celestia on YouTube of all places. As an amateur astronomer for now a little over 40 yrs. SpaceEngine is the closet thing to the minds eye as you are going to get!

Space Engine is unique in the sense that there is no other program like it that does so many things or depicts so many astronomical objects at a realistic scale, rendered in real time. Never before we had the ability to witness interstellar or intergalactic spaceship travel at realistic scales, using realistic physics (or near-realistic) in a simulated universe that is actually larger then the real observable universe. And all that in real-time so that we can witness the constellations and star positions change as we move through the cosmos. Elite Dangerous can not do that as interstellar travel is through a loading screen of a fake (but impressive nevertheless) hyperjump effect. Orbiter can not do that as well as it features only one solar system so interstellar travel is impossible. And most of the other games of this genre are nowhere near SE in terms of realism and scale.

So SE is unique with no direct competition ATM.

QuoteProteus ()

I'm at least glad that SE doesn't pretend to be something that it is not while charging money for it, kind of like what Elite: Dangerous does. SE does not claim to be a game, nor "finished" enough to have to be paid for to have. Expectations on it are very clear and honest. Because of this, I am able to play it more honestly and appreciate it more for what it has so far included.

I also like the fact that Space Engineer updates it regularly with numerous fundamental tweaks and features instead of releasing "expansions" after long periods of time that only have only a couple new but trivial features.

I also appreciate that its visuals and physics are more faithful to realism, making the experience that much more educational even in the midst of procedural generation.

It just seems to bring so much more to the table than most other virtual space experiences even in the light of its more simple platform of development compared to most others. It's very lean and every part of it really accounts for something special, instead of a bunch of flashy redundant fluff for drama.